Help Me!
by LvndrRsThrn
Summary: Danny ran away and left no note, purpose, ANYTHING! Where could he have gone? Why would his ghost form come back and not his human half? Why does he look so different? currently being revised
1. Running

"Hey, Sam."

She turned around to see her best friend coming up to her. She smiled a little as she walked up to where they met on the way to school.

"Hey," she as she stopped at the corner of the street that connected this one with the one to the school. Casper High, the only high school in Amity Park. As far as the sign outside said, it was nice, but with the occasional ghost threat, it wasn't all that great. Too bad the greatest chance the town had was now missing. They were walking to school together and passed a house with a 'Fenton Works' sign on it.

"It's been a year now, hasn't it?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Tucker said sighing as he looked over to his friend sadly. A year now, ever since that day. She'd looked at the house every day, and it never got any better. Her eyes had lost all hope, but he already knew that. Jazz knew too, hence the hope that they held for her too.

* * *

_Flashback To A Year Ago...In Freshman Year... _

_"Hey, Danny!"_

_"What do you want Sam?" Danny said in a deadpan voice._

_"Woah, whatever happened to you?" Tucker asked._

_"-and hello's," Sam couldn't help but add._

_"Nothing," he grumbled as he slammed his locker closed._

_"Sure, you don't-?"_

_"Yes," he said dephly turning his back on his friends as he headed away from his locker to his first period._

_"What's his problem?" Sam asked._

_"I don't know, but it's been going on ever since last week. He's getting really moody and-"_

_"Emo?"_

_"Well, that's another way to put it," he replied shrugging._

_"Well, we'd better find out."_

_As it turned out Danny had avoided them the rest of the day. They didn't see him anywhere. Later they went to the Fenton house to see if he was there, but he wasn't. The family said that he was missing and that they were going to go out to ghost hunt and bring Danny back._

* * *

"He's not coming back is he?"

"What?" Tucker said coming out of his thoughts.

"He's not coming back and I'll never get to tell him...," she said, looking down.

"We'll see him-"

"Tucker? How can you have hope?" Sam yelled before running the rest of the way to school, leaving Tucker, once again, feeling sorry for her as he sighed and walked the rest of the way to school.

* * *

"Class, we have a new student from...Mashton, Tennessee. His name is James Martin," Mr. Lancer said, as he was the new principal.

"What kind of name is James?" Dash said, being heard, from the back of the class.

"Really, what's your name? Dash?" James said glaring at him.

Dash cowered as he tried to figure out how the new kid knew his name. James looked away with a grin as Sam watched him. The rest of the class was shocked as the teacher took the chance to read the paper with James's wasn't until minutes later that the class started to chatter. With the jumble of the class's excitement was Tucker.

"Wow, how did he know that? Sam? Sam?" Tucker said as he waved a hand in her face. Following her gaze, he found the attention magnet. The new kid...of course! He looked the part of the 'bad influence' a black shirt with dark green edgings and a chain with a 'D' on it, it was no wonder. Sam seemed to prefer the rebellious ones.

"Mr. Baxter, you will get a detention for that remark. He's starting off new and I don't want you to start off by bullying kids like before," Lancer said.

"James, you can sit next to Mrs. Manson," the teacher said.

He made no acknowledgement that he heard him as he headed to the seat. Sitting down, he paid no notice as the classes eyes followed before the teacher called attention. Jamed wore a lot of black and his eyes were blue, but the preps were already thinking of how he would look in colors. The jocks thought more the same but only two specifics came to mind. (Well, they _are_ dumb.) Sam kept an eye on him, until the teacher called her attention and she found herself blushing.

* * *

"Wow, Sam. you were all over that boy, weren't you," Tucker said as they sat down to lunch.

"NO! I mean, of course not."

"Real-l-l-l-y?"

"Tucker Adam Foley, if you-"

"Hey," came a voice to their side. They both looked up to see that James was standing there,"Can I sit here?"

"Sure," Sam said, without hesitation as he smirked and sat down to his meal of a hamburger and an apple.

"Don't eat much, do you man?" Tucker said looking at his plate.

"Not really. I don't have much money," he replied, taking a bite out of his burger.

"You have a job? What about your family?"

"I have a job...I left"

"Your family?" Sam asked as something clicked. _He had the same problem as Danny did._

"Yeah," he said as he kept eating.

"I wish Danny could hear that. He probably would have come back and started anew...or at least kept contact," Sam said looking down as she poked her salad.

"Who's Danny?" James asked, concealing a snarl.

"One of our best friends," Tucker said as James stopped eating and, abruptly, got up to threw away the rest of his food before walking away.

"What's his problem?"

Suddenly there was a crash as parts of the ceiling fell and crumbled. In the midst of the dust gathered was a young ghostly form. He had black and white hair with a red, black, white, and green was running, as was usual for Amity, and most people were out of the building. In the midst of the dust were four shadows.

"PHANTOM'S BACK!" the people yelled as they ran away.


	2. Phantom's Back

"Phantom's back!" Paulina cried as she saw the silouette.

Sam and Tucker couldn't belive their eyes. They, after a _whole year_, see him again.

"Danny?" Sam asked stepping forward to get a better view.

There was a loud scream, just then as green blasts blew the four apart to form one. The clothes were a little different, bye nobody could mistake the face and hair that the color-coded halfa would always have. Why would he come back now? Why did he leave? Why didn't he tell them? Why couldn't he have stayed he-

"Sam!" he yelled as he swooped down to get her out of the way of a falling part of the building. She looked up to see into the eyes she hadn't seen in so long. Into the eyes of her void love. She was so entranced that she didn't notice that he was looking away from her, to another floating figure.

"Danny?"

That caught Danny's attention, then he glanced back to where the figure was, just a second ago. No one was there.

"Danny, this isn't a dream...is it?"

It hurt Danny to look into those eyes and see that she had been suffering. To feel she was so much lighter than he remembered. To see her eyes water. To see that she had scars on her skin. So see...love.

"No, Sam. It's not a dream. I'm back," he replied, smiling lightly before she punched him in the chest.

"Why'd you leave?-Where'd you go?-How could you leave?-Did you miss us?-Why'd you come back now?-and What-"

"Sam? I have to go-" he said, abruptly.

"And what- so I can loose you again as you run off?!"

"If it keeps you safe," Danny said sternly.

"Keeps me safe?"

"Yes, now I have to go-"

"No-"

"I'll see you later, I promise."

"This week?"

"What's today?"

"Tuesday, are you okay? You look...different-and tired," Sam said looking at him skeptically.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I might have to let you down though, before someone thinks I'm kidnapping you. Don't tell Tucker," Danny said, starting to fly to the ground.

"That won't happen."

"Whatever you say," Danny said before he vanished.

* * *

**A.N.// _Sorry it's so short, but it's early in the morning. I'll try to write more tomorrow._**


	3. Answers

"Sam!" Tucker ran over to his friend and looked around, "Where's Danny?"

"He left again."

"Did he tell you where he went and everything?"

"No, but-"

"What happened here?!"

James was in the front of the lunchroom and sighted Sam and Tuck.

"Hey, James. Just a regular ghost fight," Sam said shrugging.

"Oh."

"Yeah-wait, you're new. You shouldn't be used to this," Tucker accused, eyeing him suspisously.

"Well...I'm not exactly...new, per-say," he said hesitantly.

"Oh, how come we've never met you?" Sam asked.

"You have," he said looking into her eyes then walked off as the bell rang.

"What was that about?" Tucker asked as he looked back.

Sam just stood there and gapped.

_"Danny?"_

* * *

"Sam?" 

"..."

"Sam?"

"..."

"SAM?!"

"What!"

Sam and Tucker were walking to the Nasty Burger from school.

"I called your name about ten times already!" Tucker burst out.

"Oh, sorry," Sam said as they walked into the resturant.

Tucker's face softened. She was worried. Sam could never worry...unless there was a _very_ good reason.

"Worried?" Tucker asked.

"About what?"

"You tell me," Tucker said accusingly.

"Hello, how may- hey guys! How was your day?"

Valerie stood at the register and smiled at them. She still hunted ghosts, but only the ones who attacked people and such. Since Danny and Phantom dissappeared, she put two and two together and found it out. She thought back and found a lot of what he said was true. That he was good and that there weren't many who were lke him.

"Hey Val. Okay," Tucker said.

"Yeah, it was alright," Sam replied.

"Wow! That's got to be really good for you to say. What, with-"

"Ahem...," the boss said behind Valerie.

As soon as he was gone she rolled her eyes and asked for their orders and gave them to them.

"See you two tomorrow."

"You too," they replied as they went and sat down to eat.

"So, what were you worried about?" Tucker asked after he took a bite out of his hamburger.

"Well,-don't you think it's a little _wierd_ that Phantom popped out of nowhere, but Danny didn't?" Sam asked getting to the point.

"Yeah, but maybe he lives somewhere close," Tucker said shrugging.

"Well, why would he show up now?"

"Well, isn't it the same as why he left?"

_"And_ what made him leave?_"_

"Yeah, but then again. Nothing in this town is easy."

"Yeah, and neither is Danny," Sam said saddly as she fell heavily on her soda and took a sip.

"What did he say to you, that is, if he said anything yesterday?" Tucker asked.

"He said..." Sam then remembered she promised not to tell,"I asked him if it was a dream, he said it wasn't and flew off," but half-truths weren't wrong, right?

"I was in shock too. I wonder how Jazz's taking this," Tucker said.

"Oh, I forgot she has the same lunch period as us," Sam said shooting up.

"Well, she wanted to make sure you were okay. You know, since-"

"Tuck! I love you, you're like a brother to me, but don't make me kill you," Sam said, left eye twitching.

"Fine!-Fine! Do you want to stop by the place, if you're-"

"Tuck, I swear, if you son't shut up and acting like I'm a child...besides...Danny's back, I don't have to worry any more."

* * *

Tucker and Sam were walking to the Fenton's house when they saw someone. 

"James?"

"Huh? W-What are you guys doing here?" he replied to their accusation.

"It's on the way home, you?" Sam replied.

"Well, I thought it looked a little..."

"Wierd? Our friend used to live there. He wasn't very _normal_ either. You should meet the Fentons," Tuck implied.

"Yeah, well...I need to get home. I've got something to do later," James said backing away.

"Where do you stay?" Tuck asked.

"Um, I _really_ have to go. I'll see you guys later!" he called as he ran off in the opposite direction.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked.

Tucker shrugged, "Beats me."

She narrowed her eyes.

* * *

Sam set her backpack on the floor, next to her bed and collapsed face down.

"Is tenth grade _really_ that hard?"

Sam shot up, turned to face her window and gasped.

"Danny?!"

Sitting on the window sill was Danny Phantom, smiling at her. She rushed up and ran over to hug him.After she did she punched him in the chest.

"Ow! What was that for?" Danny asked rubbing his chest.

"For running away like that! What's wrong with you? Have you lost it?" Sam exclaimed, looking serious.

"Maybe," Danny mumbled before answering outloud, "What do you mean?"

"(grumble)Why'd you leave?"

"To keep you safe,"Danny said saddly.

"Safe? The only thing that needs to be safe is you. What made you think I wasn't safe."

"Because..."

"Because what?"

"Because I'm not safe to be around."

"What?" Sam said shocked.

Danny didn't reply. Sam let it slide...this time.

"Where'd you go?"

"Not too far. Only a mile out of town."

"How could you leave?"

"I told you, to keep you safe."

"Why'd you come back now?"

"It seemed like you needed me. Besides, there's going to be a war soon."

"What?"

"The ghosts are planning on attacking Amity."

"And they just came up and told you this?"

"Basically."

"Hold on, where's the _real_ Danny?"

"Sam, I'm serious. Since I wasn't seen making their 'lives' miserable, they thought I sided with Vlad."

"But, you didn't?"

"Of Course Not! What kind of question is that?"

"Well, you _obviously_ won't tell me why you felt you had to keep us safe. Vlad's the only one I can think of to make you do that."

"Sam, I don't want to talk about it."

"But I do. Why would I just want to know why you're back and that you only appear in ghost form?"

"Because, me being back is all that matters-and...I do see you in my human form, you just don't realize it..."

"You're...James aren't you?"

Danny was a little taken aback and fell through the sill.

"How?" he asked floating back up.

"You look the same, for the most part."

"Wow, you sure you're the same Sam?" Danny said turning into James.

"I'm still the same. You? Not so sure," she replied walking away to close her door.

"Sam, I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"Yeah, don't forget your homework," she said as he was about to fly off.

He turned around and smiled, "Seems like thsome things never change?"

The he frowned and looked at the ground before flying off.

"Sam, I didn't join Vlad...but I wonder if the guy I did join isn't worse."


	4. Who does he serve?

_"You killed me."_

_"You were already dead," Danny called back._

_"I was still there. Living-maybe I didn't have a heart but that doesn't matter."_

_"How does that NOT matter?"_

_"You've met Box Lunch, I know. She's the **daughter **of the Lunch Lady and Box Ghost."_

_"Yeah, and is there a point here?"_

_"You are frustrating! How can they have a **child **if they're not living?"_

_"I don't know."_

_"(sigh) The point is, you can't destroy ghosts or people."_

_"But he said you were the one who-"_

_"Believe whoever you want to. You will know in the end what to do."_

"Danniel! Wake up, I have something for you to do for me."

Danny jumped up and openned her wardrobe and changed. Going downstairs, there was a dripping of water overhead as the drops echoed.

"Sir?" Danny replied as he came to a lighting.

"I allowed you to go to your home city. Is there no thanks?"

"I thank you sir, I am thankful that-"

"I take you under my care and you treat me like this?" the voice thundered.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Hold your tongue and do as I say."

"Yes, sir?"

"That's better. Much, much better. I need you to go and find the ghost with the name Tchnus. I need his assistance. You know what to do if he resists?"

"..."

"Danniel! Do you remember what I did when you hesitated to kill that _'Ember' _girl correct?"

"Y-yes, sir."

"Well then, go on!"

Danny flew off and whispered to himself.

"Sam, never thought I'd say this. He's worse than Vlad. Much, much worse. I don't want to know what would happen if he found out you knew about this. I'll keep you safe. I won't tell. Anyone."


	5. Sam

"Hey, D-James," Sam called in the hallway at Casper High.

"Hey Sam. Hi Tucker Adam Foley."

"Wait how'd-"

"I heard Sam call you that at lunch yesterday, remember."

"Oh, well-hey Valerie!"he cut as he ran after said girl.

"Are you going to tell him?" Sam asked.

"Tell him what?"he replied nervously.

"About Danny Fenton. Are you holding another secret?"

"Sam, don't. I told you before I need to keep you safe-"

"From what? I keep asking and you shove me away, as if we've never had anything."

"What do you mean?"

"I've waited a long time to tell you something. Now I'm not even sure if I should. You might not be the same person."

"Sam, I am! I'm the same as-"

"Then prove it! We've known each other long enough for that, haven't we? You used to tell Tucker and me everything. Now-"

"Sam, shush!" Danny said covering her mouth as he looked around at the shifting looks down the hall. Suddenly, the bell rang. Soon everyone was going to their classess and Danny flew Sam and himself out of the school.

"What are you doing?" Sam demanded. When no response came she crossed her arms.

"...Sam, I'm the same. Believe me. I came back for three reasons. To keep the town safe and to see everyone again..."

"Again? Does that include me? I don't know who you are, trying to pose as my best friend and love. But now that that's over, you have to come and open the wound?"

"Sam, I-"

"Don't try it. Let me down. I used to have a friend in Danniel Fenton. Now...I'm not so sure."

"Sam...I WON'T HAVE TO HURT YOU! DON'T MAKE ME! I'LL DIE BEFORE I DO THAT!"

Sam looked up, taken aback and scared as she saw tears and pain in Danny's eyes.

"I...can't hurt you. You may not love me any more, but I'll die without you. I'm not going to kill you. I might die without you, but if I'm without you for your sake, I'd do it gladly,"he said landing and hugging her like there was no tomorrow to see her in again.

"What happened in that last year that you were gone?" Sam said holding him, scared for him and what he would do to...keep her safe.

"I-"

"If you tell me I'd die? If you don't I'll die-if not by grief and worry, of my own faults. If you don't tell me I _will_ die."

"Sam-"

"Danny, I'll even jump off a cliff. Tell me!"

"I..."

"Danniel, I'm surprised. You would have her know who you _really_ were and still try to keep her safe? That's foolish! She already knows too much. Why not tell her the rest and do what you did to all those other ghosts?" a man came.

"Other ghosts? Danny? What is he-are you okay?" Sam asked looking up to see Danny's head lowered.

"Sam...run."

"No, Danny-You!" she eclaimed looking at the man,"You're what happened to Danny. You're the one who kept him from me?"

"Sam-no!" Danny yelled raising his head.

"You're the smart one Danniel can't shut up about? Very good. I _did _happen to make it seem like he ran, didn't I?" he said rubbing his chin.

"You-YOU-YOU'RE LUCKY THIS AUTHOR KEEPS ME FROM CUSSING!"Sam looks up at the author and shakes her fist, '!#$ YOU JENNY30906'!(haha! just some stress remover words.)

"Well, Danniel? What are you going to do? You asked for my help on the ghosts. You can stay and fight them yourself...or you can kill her and her ghost and get my help."

"You asked for his help?" Sam demanded of Danny.  
"You hev until-oh, at least until I get testy enough to kill her myself. What'll it be?"

"I..."


	6. Decisions

"Danny, you don't need his help.I don't understand why you needed his help in the first place. You could ask Vlad to-"

"Sam, Vlad's the head of the ghost invasion."

"...You still have Valerie, Jazz, Jack, Maddie, Tucker, Dani, all you have to do is-"

"Who's to say they won't kill me?"

"You know Tucker and me better than that. Your family better than that. We won't let anything hap-"

"Clock is ticking Danniel. You don't need a town that has always hated you and dubbed you Enemy #1, do you?"

"Danny? Remember what I said."

"Sam...I-"

"Goodbye Samantha," the guy said as he brought a knife out of his pocket...to be blasted away.

"She's right. You don't need his help."

Everyone turned around to see a Dani Phantom. She was now mature. She looked at Danny and frowned.

"Danny, they came and found me after you left. You surprise me. Going and running-no, Jason took you didn't he? Jason told you that you could trust him, that you would have to repay him? Whatever it is, you'd like to hear something first_...He's_ the **real **reason that your dad was blamed,_" _she said, glaring angrily at him.

"What?!" Sam and Danny exclaimed.

"Jason Fickle's was the leader of the club that your dad and Vlad were in. Vlad found it all out and was starting to form a ghost invasion on him, not the town. He used you. You were killing ghosts from the invasion just because he said. He's the one who did it all. He's the one who wants your dad dead. He wants Vlad to do it for him. Now that he's found out, he wants you to do it fo-"

"Danniel, who will you believe? I took care of you for a year. I want to see you do great things. I want you to be happy in protecting your town in fighting. I offer you a hand. Are you going to thrust it away?" Jason said standing up and walking over to Danny.

"Danny? Please come back. Don't believe lies-"

"And who's to say that _girl_? How would _she e_ven know that?" he said pointing to Dani,"She can't travel in time or something to prove it!"

"No," came a voice as a ghost appeared, "But I can."

"Clockwork?" Danny asked, not believing his eyes.

"Clockwork?-Danny, destroy that ghost!"

"Danniel, you may want to see something before you make a decision-"

"I've seen enough Clockwork, thank you very much," Danny said heatedly.

"That's my son," Jason said as he clasped a hand on his shoulder.

Danny's eyes glowed brightly and Jason cringed back. _"Son? SON_?"

"I am the _son_ of Jack and Madeline Fenton! Not of Vladimire Masters-or of you!"

Danny rose into the sky and Jason cowered in fear.

* * *

"Danny!" Tucker yelled as he walked out of the sky, seeing him.

"Phantom!" Valerie stated beside Tucker.

"He's back...," Maddie called by the Fenton Assault Vehicle, as they were staking out ghosts.

"Who?" Jack called back, with his back facing his wife.

"Invisobil."

"What?!" Jack yelled looking up to see for himself.

* * *

"I may not be better than a 'C average' but I'm still in charge of what I want to do!" Danny cried as he was about to freeze Jason on the spot.

Suddenly, there was a hand on his shoulder. Danny looked up to see...Vlad. Vlad smiled down at him and lowered his arms. He whispered something into Danny's ear.

"Dannie-I mean Danny?" that got Danny to calm down and breath,"I'm not going to bother your family anymore after this...but get Sam, Dani, and yourself out of here. **My only guiding words are: to ask Sam that question. **I'm sure she'd say yes."

"Vlad? I-"

"Don't second-guess me now! I'm now clear of who I need to kill and who I need to do it for. Not me, but for your father. Now go before you have to see this!"

"Danniel, do as he says. I know what you're thinking and it will be alright-as long as you leave!" Clockwork said as he grabbed Danny by the shoulder.

Clockwork lead him away and, about a hundred feet from the spot they left there was an explosion.

"Vlad...,"Danny whispered in disbelief.

"Thank you. Maybe you were more of a father than I thought you were."


End file.
